The 'Brilliant Bard Channel'

When I started this 'Challenge' (which far more of a pleasure than a hardship) I was mindful that everyone was talking about Dickens while I was going on about Shakespeare. So I am very glad that everyone else has now caught up with me! Particularly the BBC. Their Cultural Olympiad inspired season 'Shakespeare Uncovered' is a marvellous companion for my Journey.

I was already dipping into the excellent back catalogue of BBC Shakespeare productions which I remember watching in the 70's-80's. But Now there is so much more on offer on both radio and TV that I can hardly keep up. Highlights in the documentary stakes have been 'Simon Shama's Shakespeare' and the titular 'Shakespeare Uncovered' programmes. It was worth watching the Joely Richardson episode alone to see the amazing shots of snow falling in the Globe Theatre. There have also been screenings of some of the better film adaptations, but best of all new re-workings by the BBC themselves.

Unfortunately I'm more than a little anal and have told myself not to watch a performance of a play until I've re-read it. Hence I missed the RSC's Julius Caesar with an African setting and Kenneth Branagh's film of 'As You Like It' as this hit the screen a little too soon. But with with the relevant Histories under my sword-belt I am revelling in the 'The Hollow Crown' series which runs through the plays 'Richard II' to 'Henry V' with a stellar cast. 

The first play, Richard II, had a phenomenal performance from Ben Whishaw in the title role and Rory Kinnear as Bolingbroke and not forgetting a stand-out 'John of Gaunt' portrayed by Sir Patrick Stewart. Now I can't wait to the watch the rest of the series and in particular to see another Shakespearean stalwart Simon Russell Beale, in the part of Falstaff, along with Tom Hiddleston playing Hal / Henry V (who as Loki stole the show in The Avengers movie). Here's just hoping the French don't have a Hulk! ("Puny Plantagenet!")


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Anthony Quayle as Sir John Falstaff by Ronald Searle

Anthony Quayle portrayed Falstaff excellently in the classic BBC adaptations of 'King Henry IV parts 1 and 2' in 1979. But regretfully did not reprise the role four years later for their version of the 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'. In fact the only actor to span the three TV plays, and indeed 'King Henry V', was Gordon Gostelow as Bardolph.

My father was always an avid reader of Punch back when I was young and I would often flick though to look at the cartoons. I can remember many such sketches by Ronald Searle of the stars from either plays or films which accompanied their review.

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Quote #011

FALSTAFF: My king! my Jove! I speak to thee, my heart!

KING HENRY V: I know thee not, old man: fall to thy prayers;
How ill white hairs become a fool, and jester!

'King Henry IV, Part Two', Act V, scene 4

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11 - King Henry IV Part 2

Okay, so I freely admit that I’ve had a little Bard-break. I think it might be necessary to do so every ten plays or so as my reading pile of the non-Shakespeare variety is starting to look decidedly top-heavy! When I began this challenge I wasn't sure it would take me a full year but Spring has sprung and here I am only a quarter of the way through! They do say, however, that it's not the arriving which is important but the getting there! And so on with the journey...

As previously stated I have always avoided the Histories in the past, thinking them to be just a bunch of battles and back-stabbing with the odd bit of regicide thrown in. But the Histories are in a way the first 'box-set', following  the crown from one generation to the nest and the political changes being made as a result. Come to think of it's almost exactly the same as 'Game of Thrones' (just without the zombies or the dragons or the naked bodies!). But where you miss out on the CGI and the SEX Shakespeare makes up for with the characters.
 

Mrs Slocombe

At the same time that a 'peace' is reached for the country so the King and Hal emotionally reunite. Thus the king ensures the safe passage of the Crown before he makes his way to his own private Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the subplot of the Cheapside crew also continues and we are introduced to the 'Mrs Slocombe' of Shakespeare in the guise of Mistress Quickly. Never before has so much innuendo been undertaken by one woman as she is "swaggered", "fubbed" and "stabbed" through the streets of London!

And importantly as Hal is reconciled with one father so he must forgo another. Sir John Falstaff is spurned and banished from the new king's sight and condemed as a "white haired" fool! Maybe Falstaff had it coming with all his lying and cheating but it is still sad to see the last of the old rascal. Or have we...

And finally – That Prince John of Lancaster’s a tricky one and no mistake. Watch your back Hal. I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him…

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